Friction yarn and process and apparatus for making same



w. NANFELDT May 18 1926.

I FRICTION YARN AND PROCESS AND APPARATUS F03 MAKING SAME Filed April'6, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 j mam May 15, 25. 1,585,625

I w. NANFELDT Fat-c1 10 YARN AND'PROCESS-ANDAPPABATUS FOR MAKINQSAMEFiled April 6,5925 2 Sheets-Sheet? atented May l8, 1926. i

NITED STAES WILLIAM NAJN'FELDT, on NEW ASSIGNOR TO WORLD BESTOSCORPORATION, NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FRICTION YARN AND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME.

Application filed April 6, 1925. Serial No. 21,087.

This invention relates to yarn and a process for making the same. Moreparticular ly, the invention relates to the manufacture of a yarnhaving'specific utility in friction fabrics, clutches,

although advantageously usable for other purposes.

Generally stated,'the invention, in its important aspects, consists in anew yarn in which a paper strip, preferably of asbestos material, isplaced arouid a relatively loose strand of vegetable secured thereto bya, filamentand in a new method of manufacture by which the variouscomponent yarn strands are maintained unitary in the final yarnstructure and with certain advantageous twists therein; use being madeof improved apparatus for supporting and twisting the yarn strands sothat bunching of the material of each strand at various points isprevented.

As disclosed in the present invention, it have found that the use of avegetable fibred strand, such as jute, combined with a paper 2 strip orasbestos in the form of a paper-like strip or band and optionally with asecond strand of cotton, wire or the like, produces a yarn which hasgreatly improved wearing qualities with decidedly less tendency to glaze0r vitrify on its surface when used in friction fabrics, and possessinggreatly improved elasticity, frictional resistance and otheradvantageous characteristics.

Among the important objects of the present invention therefore, may beconsidered that of providing means for improving the wearing qualitiesof a yarn usable in a friction fabric. Another object is that of diminishing the tendency to glaze in the wearing it] surface of yarns usedfor friction fabrics. An object also is to provide a yarn suitable formaintaining a semi-lubricating action when woven with asbestos fibresfor use as a friction fabr c.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for addingelasticity to a yarn containing strands of mineral fibre, such asasbestos. An object also is to form a composite yarn containing asbestosin 0 which the frictional gripping area, when applied to a cooperatingfriction surface, is

greater than that wherein asbestos alone is used.

lVith the above objects in mind, I have obtained a product and devised amethod and brake bands and the like,

"which fibre, such as jute, and

apparatus for producing the same, the details of which will now bedescribed. In the accompanying drawing, I have shown an embodiment,which may be preferred, of the apparatus for manufacturing the yarn, in

Figure 1 is a view of the supporting frame and twisting mechanism;

Figure 2 is a view of the support and twister for the final operation;

Figure 3 is a detail of the paper strip;

Figure 4 is a detail of the finished yarn;

Figure 5 is a sectionthrough the finished yarn; 1

Figure 6 is a detail of the tension apparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the apparatusfor carrying 1 into effect my invention is disclosed. Essentially, thisapparatus consists of a supporting means 10, upon which is mounted meansfor supporting and guiding the various strand units entering into thecompleted yarn and supporting also the twister unit 11, beneath thesupporting means for the yarn units.

The supporting means 10 includes a standaid 12, to which is attached ahorizontal bar 85 or beam 13. The beam 13 carries depending brackets 14,15 and 16, which support the shafts 17 and 18. On these shafts arerotatably mounted reels or spools of the yarn forming strands of thepresent invention, the shaft 17 supporting a spool 19 of jute fibre, theshaft 18 a spool 20 of cotton fibre. The shafts 17 and 18 with spools 19and 20 re volvably mounted thereupon, are positioned approximatelydirectly above the twisting 9 mechanism 11 and the jute and cottonstrands therefrom are adapted to feed the twisting mechanism incombination with a strip of asbestos paper, as will be now described.

Beneath the beam 13 and supported by the standard 12 is a second beam21, from which the paper strip 9 for the yarn is supported. Thissupporting means consists of a plurality of depending circular guides22, 10 23 and 24, formed preferably of porcelain or a similar substance,through which the asbestos strip 28 is needled. The guides 22 and 24 areimmovable relative to the support 21, but the guide 23 is pivotedbetween the 11 guides 22 and 24 and may be swung into or out ofalignment, with the other guide to vary the frictional resistance on thestrip. T rovide also a pig-tail guide 26 supported y the bracket 27beneath the beam 21 and in ap roximate alignment with the spool 19 antwister 11 through which the strip-28 and jute strand 29 are led to thetwister.

The paper or aper-like strip or band is provided preferaiily in the formof narrow rolls, which are placed in a tray 30, supported from the frame10 and having upstanding edge walls 31 adapted to retain water or othermoisture whereby the rolls 1 of tape or paper strip are thoroughlymoistened. The tray 30 is directly beneath the beam 13, there being aroll of tape 32 placed adjacent the guide rings 22, 23 and 24 throughwhich .the strip is fed, although where a minimum friction is desired orwhere the paper strip is mechanically weak, a single friction guide, as22, may be utilized. Both the strip 28 and the jute core strand 29 arefed into the pig-tail guide 26 and subsequently twisted.

The cotton strand 35 is added to the jute and asbestos strip at a pointbeneath the uide 26 near the twister 11 and after a preiminary twist hasbeen given to the jute and asbestos as is shown clearly in Figure 1 ofthe drawing. As means for guiding the cotton strand into its properposition inflrelation to the other yarn elements, there is ,/provided aring guide 36 and a combined uide and friction device 40 directly abovet e twister 11 and consisting of a cylindrical block having a centralaperture 41.

and a flared upper end 42 leading into said aperture, the edges of theflare being rounde so as to facilitate entrance and feeding in of theyarn elements without breakage. The guide block 40 is supported on a rodor beam 43 fixed to the standard 12 and the guide 36 is supported to-oneside of the axis of-the twister 11 by the bracket 44. The block 40 is ofsufficient length to develop a certain amount of frictional contact asthe yarn strands pass therethrough, thereby smoothing out any lumps orknots which tend to form.

Additional friction elements are provided to prevent too rapid movementof the core and external strands in the present invention, there beingthe strands of jute 29 and the strand of cotton 35. For this purpose, Iutilize a unit supported from the beam 51 and having a fixed plate 52provided with a plurality of alternate horizontal narrow slots 53 andridges 48. A U-shaped bracket 54 forms apivot support for a cooperatingplate 55 on which a plurality of slots 49 and ridges 56 are horizontallypositioned and adapted to engage the various corresponding slots 53 andridges 48 on the fixed plate 52 when the plate 55-is moved intocooperating into the twisting which contacts with the cross engagementtherewith. These plates are normally yieldably held together by means ofthe weight 57 supported from the end 58 of the lever 59. This lever ispivoted on the bracket 54 and carries a contact shoe 60 "0 which ispivoted on the lever end and is slotted to receive the adjusting screw47. These plates, as above described, are adapted to frictionally retainthe strand or core of jute cotton or wire, as the case may be, whichextends parallel to the pivotal axis of the device and adjacent thevarious slots and ridges the corrugations of each plate tending to forcethe strand into slots and thus fiictionally tend to prevent movementthere- 0 Auxiliary pig-tail guides 46 and 45 are also utilized to centerthe strands in the friction units 50. One of these units 50 is providedfor each of the core and winding strands and is effective to prevent toorapid feeding thereof and to straighten out tangles and knots and ingeneral to permit uniformity of feeding of the component strands.

Proceeding with the description of the mechanism employed in theformation of the yarn, the various jute and cotton strands and theasbestos paper strip are, after combination, fed simultaneously as asingle unit mechanism. This twisting mechanism 11 is in general of wellknown construction and consists essentially in com bined twisting. andfeeding mechanism. The twisting mechanism per se includes a sleeve 60adjacent the top of which is a drive pulley 61 on the periphery of whicha drive cord 62 is positioned. At the base of the sleeve 60 a cross bar63 is fixed, the same car ing at its respective ends the stub sha ts 64and 65. The stub shafts have af- 105 fixed thereto at their upper endsthe pinions 66 and 67 and their lower ends are adapted to have rotatableconnection with a second cross bar 68. The shafts 64 and carry alsointermediate the cross bars 63 and 68 110 the guide rollers 69 and 70.Depending from either end of the cross bar 68 are rods 71 and 72, theends of which are formed into pig-tail guide loops 73 and 74. Inaddition to the guide mentioned, there is indicated 115 also the guideloop 75 adjacent one end of the cross bar 68 and a guide roller 7 (5attached to and suspended from the cross bar 63 beneath the sleeve 60.

The feed mechanism of the twister is our 120 bodied in a sleevesupported by a bracket 81 and surrounding the sleeve 60. The upper endof the sleeve 80 terminates in a drive pulley 81 grooved at itsperiphery to receive the drive cord 82 and at its base ter- 12E minatesin a gear 83 which meshes with the pinions 66 and 67, hereinaboveindicated.

The twister is supported on a rod 85 bar 68 at its base plate 86.

middle point and rests upon a to be wound as it aseaeea The rod 85 isadapted to receive the spool 91 upon which the strand. of yarn isadapted comes from the twister. Reciprocated movement is given to'tliespool 91 inorder to facilitate'the winding of the yarn 1n layersthereupon, the mechanism forthis action consisting in an appropriate'camoperated device having an arm 88 with a see.

contact roller 89 at the end thereof. The cam mechanism of Figure. 2 isemployed to reciprocate the spool 91.

The mechanism asabove describedis adapted for .use in the firststep-of'the proc- For the second step of the process, use

is made of a twister 90 similar in all. respects .to .the twister unit11 employed in the first ized in my process .step of the process,

this second twister 90 being positioned beneath a cross beam '13appropriately supported- Instead of the horizontal shaft support for thespool 91 of the preliminary yarn, use is made-of a pin 92 having aslight upward incline so that the lower upper edge of the spool contactswith the beam and is frictionally hindered from rotation.

Operation,-

The mechanism, as above described'isutilin the following manner. Thejute, in accordance with the present disclosure or other fibrousvegetable stock having similar characteristics, is positioned on a'spool as 19 in the. form of a core or strand which is led downwardlythrough the guides jute core 29. Also, the cotton strand 35' mechanism.

46, 26 and 40 and through the unit 50 into the twisting mechanism 11'.:The jute'a's utilized in this process has normally about three turns tothe right per inch, although the degree of twist-may besolnewhat variedfinished yarn. .Ji strip 28 of asbestos paper is then led through theguides 22, 23-and 241-, the relative position of guide 23 depending uponthe strength of the paper or upon the resistance necessary to keep it inproper relationship .and into the guide 26 with the supported on a spool20 and having normally about six turns: per inch to the left is ledthrough the resistance unit 50 and guides strip and The twister 11 isthen operated in adirection-to give a left-hand twist to the strands anda preliminary twist is thereby v imparted to the yarn elements which isrelativelyloose,

V approximating about three twists to the inch, this preliminary yarnbeing wound upon the'spool 91. This operation completes'the first stepand results in a preliminary yarn in which the jute core has three turnsto the left and the asbestos strip about six turns to the left.

.The preliminary yarn made as above Indescribed, is-then plaoedon thepin 92 while thereof and the completed thereof.

scribed is found 36 and 40 into juxtaposition with-thejute and then intothe twister torn or abraded,

of the process still moist and fed into the second twister 90, in. thistwisting operation the numberof twists being increased two or threetimes over that received in the first twisting operation; Notonly is,the number of twists increased in the second-step of the process, butthe various component strand elements of the yarn are tightened and thecross sec- 'tion of the yarn diminished and the whole structurecompacted and made more stable and useful than that obtained by thepreliminary operation. The second operation also tends to-force thecotton thread or strand 35 into' the body of the yarn so that it forms acontinuous and uniform part yarn accordingly has asmoot'h surface, thejute, asbestos and cotton all appearing on the surface of the same,as-shown clearly in Fig. A; of the'drawing, and providing the wearingsurface The second step of the process as above deduring the firsttwisting operation the com'-' ponent strands of the yarn cannot easilybe bound. together with a suflicien'tly low pitch ofv twist. lit isdesirable that the number of twists per inch-be small'so that the juteand cotton shall lie almost straight, the parallel yarn in consequencehaving the component "parts bound together in a uniform manner helicalformation of without a pronounced either the jute or the cotton, Withthe yarn completed in its parallel form and the cotton positionedproperly relative to the other parts, the yarn is in condition-toreceive an increased number of tw sts per inch, without distant-hin therelativeposition of the vari oils strands. in accordance with therequirements of the of the process,

lln the twisting operation of the first step ternal holding or bindingagent tojnai'ntain it in position in the yarn structurep The firstoperation also by reversing the normal loosen and combine morethoroughly with the asbestos and cotton than would be the case: if thejute strand were not untwisted. Moreover, since the jute in' its finalstate has approximately the same .nnmber 'of twists as it had initially,although to the left instead -of to the right, there is no inesirabl'efor the reason that attention is directed to the its about rather thanincorporated preferably requires an eX- twist of the jute causes thesame to does not operate to structure of the final yarn by being twisted7 combines with the above mentioned.

linings, transmission fabrics and similar' considerably weaker of theprocess,

temperature and frictional wear very "creased tendency for the jute'towind or knot itself and thus hinder weaving operations.- It should beobserved that a similar effect is obtainable by stopping the twistingaction before the ute is retwisted' to its normal number of turns in theopposite direction, although yarn having an. untwisted jute strand isnot so desirable for weaving operations as the yarn in which there is anappreciable twist in the jute' strand. The cotton reinforcing strandbeing their the jute is twisted in a direction to twist the same as thestrength ofthe partially completed yarn combinedwith the weakness of thecotton, disturb the advantageous in the same direction as the normaltwist of the cotton strand.

The various resistance and friction elements employed, according to thefirst step advantageously combine to eliminate bunching of the componentparts of the yarn and to disentangle knots and, in general, facilitate auniform feeding of the various strands so that a very desirable finishedproduct of uniform contour and 'dimensions is obtained by the process.The upward inclination of the pin 92 tends to cause frictionalresistance to rotation of the spools mounted thereupon as the upperinner edge of the spool contacts against the supporting beams and thisarrangement also frictional means herein- For the purposes of a cleardescription of the invention, I have described, in connection with theapparatus and process of making the yarn, a core filament or strand ofjute, a reinforcing or wrapping'filament or core of cotton-and a bodystrip of asbestos paper. These elements possess certain distinctivecharacteristics which makes them exceedingly valuable in producing'a'yarn which is not only flexible for weaving operations; but is alsovery valuable for use in so-called friction fabrics including brakematerials requiring pronounced resistant? to requentl'y in thepresenceof oils. The advantage of asbestos for brake lining and similar uses iswell known, asbestos being a mineral. The chief difficulty in connectionwith asbestos is its fibrous formation and the dif ficulty with whichthe fibres are agglomerated to form a compact mass suff ciently stablefor useunder high mechanical stresses in the presence of moisture.

In accordance with my invention, I employ asbestos which may be eithershort or long fibred, inthe form of paper strip normally held togetherby a binder, such as starch, so that when formed into the yarn it entersthe yarn structure as a homoge..

e m I neous body and not as a loose fibre as has been customary in otherprocesses of utilizing asbestos fibre. The binder, during the yarnmaking process, is loosened by moisture, as hereinabove described, sothat the strip while maintaining in general its unity, is neverthelesseasily molded .into the desired form. I

The use of jute I have found to be highly desirable in a yarn intendedfor friction purposes. Jute is relatively cheap as a raw material formanufacturing purposes. Aside from the matter of cost, ute is much moreabsorbent than asbestos and does not have so greatv a tendency tovitriiiy or glaze as as bestos when employed in riction fabrics in thepresence of heat and oils. This tendency to glaze is more pronounced incotton than in jute and consequently jute forms an exceedingly desirablecomponent element in the final yarn structure.

Also when subjected to heat and friction, a yarn having alternatingareas'of jute and asbestos on its surface has properties which tend toincrease the life of the fabric and its efficiency of operation. Thejute, due-to the heat, wears more rapidly than the asbestos providing ashallow channel for foreign material and also a channel for the freeoils which may be on the bearing surface'of the fabric. The jute also,due to its absorbent action, ing surface of the friction fabric. Moreover, the jute strands break up the surface of the asbestosso that acontinuous glaze surface is impossible in a friction fabric formed of.the yarn- I have described, and the undesirable results of a frictionlining,

the surface of which is completely glazed 1s terial to form thecorestrand of the, yarn,

a vegetable fibre having equivalent characteristics. of flexibility,elasticity absorptiveness may be substituted.

Forinstance, I may employ as a core filamerit a strand of cotton bre orhemp and the like; The advantage of jute, aszherein above mentioned,resides primarily in its abilit to resist the glazing action of heat andrictionin which'it is superior to cotton and other vegetable vegetablefibres possess-this characteristic to a; ter extent than any mineralfibres, suc as asbestos.

process as above described,-consists in. the utilization of a corestrand or thread having a certain number of tion, and twisting the samewith an untwistor unwind the twist in the core strand and subsequentlycombining these two elements, the core and the strip, with a thirdstrand to form the preliminary yarn structure. The

brings oils to the beartwists in a given ,dire'cfibres, but in general,I

.ed strlp of asbestos in a direction to reverse a 120 One of theoutstanding features of the untwisting of t 'is in ting advantage of thereversal of twist of the core part'the prevention of kinking or knotofthe yarn in its final form as a twisting-of a core strand in thedirection of the normal twist will cause a spiral elastic twist to beset into the yarn structure which will result in knottin in final form.Moreover, he core strand permits a closer contiguity of the core andasbestos paperstrip which-makes the resultant yarn 'more uniform incross section.

l have described the use of cotton as a combining agent for the asbestosand jute, this purpose it is useful. I may,

and for however, if greater tensile strength is desired in the finishedyarn, employ a wire of brass,

, copper or other metal similar to that-of cotton. However, it shouldute with the cotton as tion where metal ments of the product.

ture. It should be asbestos material, wherever limited to the exactdetails em which serves a purpose be observed that cotton, jute, has theimportant mitting the yarn to yield the component elements inconnection. with advantage of peras a whole. Where are too rigid, the

yarn'structure may yieldin parts at difierent points along its length orthe asbestos may break due to the weaving operation or due tosharptwists bein made in the yarn. This rupture of the'as estos' stock is,-ingeneral, prevented by the use of yieldable a combining agent,

the whole forming a yarn which is readily.-

woven without rupture of the asbestos fibre, and which in general formsa highly useful and durable yarn.

Attention is direc' to the fact that the al yarn is formed mineralfibre, and

in the proposed modificawire is used as a strand, the final yarn isformed of vegetable fibre, non-metallic fibre and a metal. lit should beobserved further that the specific: number of twists mentioned for thecomponent parts of the yarn and for the yarn as a whole may varied inaccordance with the require- An important feature relating both to theyarn and the process for making same resides in the 'useof asbestospaper like-material or strips or'bands of asbestos material boundtogether with sufificient cohesiveness and tenacity and adapted for yarnmanufacunderstoodthat the term it appears in the specification andclaims, is intended to refer to material having a substantial percentageof asbestos fibres, such as to give more or less the characteristics ofasbestos as in the specification and claims shall be considered as thusdefined.

While I have described and-detailed an apparatus and process formanufacturing the yarn,'I do not wish to be ployed and the description,the invention being defined cludes the step of loosely of vegetablefibre and nig said strip are concerned, where used.

a form off-yarn in the opposite direction, to wrap the paper striparound said strand of vegetable fibre.

2. A process for making yarn, which includes the steps oflooselytwisting in a given direction a paper strip with a strand ofvegetable fibre having a normal twist in the opposite direction, andcombining in helical arrangement said strip-and strand and a reinforcingfilament.

3. A process for making yarn, which intwisting in a given direction apaper-like strip of asbestos material bound with sufficient cohesivenessand tenacity and adapted for yarn manufacture with a strand oitjutefibre having a normal twist in the opposite direction, to cover saidstrand of jute fibre with said paper-like strip or band. t. A process ofmaking yarn, which includes the step of loosely wrapping a paperlikestrip or band of asbestos material'bound with sutficient cohesivenessand tenacity and adapted for yarnv manufacture around a twisted strandof jute fibre and simultaneously twisting said strand in a direction tountwist the same' 5. A recess of making yarn, which includes tfi likestri with sulhcient cohesiveness and tenacity'and adapted for yarnmanufacture with a wisted strand of jute fibre in a direction to untwistthe stran applying a filament to said strip or band and said strand atan intermediate stage ofsaid twisting to bind the strip or band andstrand together and tightly twistor band, said strand and said filamentto form a finished ya 6. A-process for making yarn, which includesforming a preliminary yarn by loosely twisting in a given directionapaper-like strip or band of asbestos material bound with sufficientcohesiveness and tenacity and adapted for yarnmanufacture with a strandof vegetable fibre having a normal twist in the opposite direction, thetwist of the strand of vegetable fibre in the article produced by suchSte three to the inch and t e corresponding twist of the combined strandand the strip or band'being approximately six to the inch.

7. A process for making yarn, which includes forming a preliminary yarnby loosely twisting in a given direction a stri or band of asbestosmaterlal bound wit sufiicient cohesiveness and tenacity and or band ofasbestos material bound paper-like 7 or band and said filament adaptedfor of vegetable fibre having a'normal twist in the opposite direction,the twist (if the strand of vegetable fibre in the article produced bysuch step being approximately three to he inch and the correspondingtwist of the combined strand of Vegetable fibre and the strip or bandbeing approximately six to the inch. and subsequently twisting saidstrip or band and said strand more closely to form a finished yarn.

8. A process for making yarn, which includes loosely twisting a twistedstrand of vegetable libre and a moistened strip or band of asbestospaper-like material bound withsufiicient cohesiveness and tenacity andadapted for yarn manufacture in a direct-ion to untwist the strand,combining and twist iug said strand and strip or band with a reinforcingfilament, and finally closely twist.- ing the strand of vegetable fibre,the strip in the same direc-' tion to form a final yarn.

9. A process of making yarn,"\vhich includes the steps of supplying anasbestos paper-like strip or band under" adjustable tension, looselytwisting said strip or band with a twisted core of vegetable fibre in a,

direction to untwist the core, applying a filament and core, andtwisting said strip or band,

yarn manufacture with astr'and and adapted for helically around saidstrip or band said core and said filament in a direction to tighten saidfilament. v 10. A yarn having a core strand of jute fibre, a cover for'said jute strand formed from asbestos paper-like material bound withsuflicien-t cohesiveness and tenacity yarn manufacture. 11. 'A yarnincluding a core strant jute, a cover for said core strand formedlotfrom asbestos paper-like material bound with sufficient cohesivenessand tenacity and adapted for yarn manufacture, and a bindiug filamentarranged around said asbesto s paper-like material.

12. A yarn including a. jute core strand, a paper-like strip or band ofasbestos material arranged helically around strand, and a bindingfilament arranged helically around said strip or bandand securing it tothe strand;

13. A yarn including a relatively elastic core strand of jute fibre, a,cover for said core strand formed from a paper-like strip or band ofasbestos material bound with sufficient cohesiveness and tenacity andadaptand a binding filaor band to said ed for yarn manufacture, mentsecuring said strip core strand. a

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature. V

' WILLIAM N'ANFELDT.

said core

